266 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



entrance, was found strewn with young oysters, and the next year it was ascertained that these 

 had lived and were growing. The whole cove rapidly filled, and the oysters at once began to be 

 taken by the inhabitants in large quantities. 



" Some gentlemen, in 1875, got permission of the town to plant oysters on the bar at the 

 entrance of the harbor, and brought a large quantity of seed oysters from Somerset, Mass., to lay 

 down there. Taking the hint, the town surveyed a fringe of grants around the whole harbor, 

 which were rapidly secured by the citizens for purposes of culture. The first design was that all 

 owning grants should seed them from abroad, leaving the natural beds in Blankinship (Jove and 

 all the channels as public domain. But this was done to a very small extent, the natural beds 

 being raked and dredged, instead, for oysters to be placed upon the grants, until it seemed likely 

 that no mollusks at all would be left upon the beds. Legislative measures, both of State and 

 town, were brought forward for oyster protect ion, but with little avail, as restrictive measures had 

 small support from public opinion, and now there is little attempt to restrain any one fishing to 

 any extent. It is reported by some, as a consequence, that few oysters are .left, while others say 

 that there are as many oysters there now as ever. Meanwhile, those who had planted were not 

 encouraged. The best grants lay in favorable spots, where the oysters had shallow water, a hard 

 bottom, and quick tide, only lacking fresh water. One gentlemen has planted about 12,000 

 bushels, and has put down 0,000 to 8,000 empty shells, hoping to catch spawn; but since these 

 were put down there has' been no year in which the spawn was plenty at Marion. (The hist 

 good year for spawn in Wareham was 1877, in Somerset, 1878.) Both of these investments have 

 proved to be losing ones. The oysters brought here from Somerset have grown pretty well in 

 shell, but in meat are lean and watery. Last August those of marketable size produced less than 

 two solid quarts to the bushel. This fall (1879) there has been an improvement, but a bushel does 

 not 'open' more than 3 quarts. These facts are true, as a rule, over the whole extent of the 

 harbor, and in every instance the owners consider that they have lost money on their investment, 

 and that it is probable that no great success can be looked for in raising oysters at Marion, for 

 unexplained reasons. Even when they succeed in getting a fair quantity of oysters, they are not 

 as hard and plump as they ought to be, and will not sell in Boston market at prices which will 

 repay the expense of their cultivation. Among special discouragements may be mentioned the 

 burying of 2,000 bushels in one bed, on the outside of Ram Island Bar, by a single gale during 

 the winter of 1878, and the sudden death of several thousand bushels up the harbor through 

 anchor-frost. As a consequence, a large portion of the oysters which have been planted here from 

 Somerset have been taken up and sent to Providence River, where they have been rebedded with 

 great success. It may be that this will afford an opportunity for business, although planting will 

 not succeed well. The seed can be bought in Somerset and laid down here for about 35 cents a 

 bushel. Two years later it can be sold to Providence dealers for 75 cents. During these same 

 years the natural beds near Ram Island have flourished tolerably well, although the large tracts 

 of shells about the harbor have caught no spawn. They have not opened as much nor of as good 

 quality, however, as formerly; but there are great differences in the oysters of even this limited 

 area. A bed at Ram's Island, on the sand, in 3 to 5 feet of water, 'oj>eiied handsome,' while 

 only a few yards away oysters on a muddy bottom were of poor quality and size. 



" There have been about $17,000 invested in oyster culture in this town, but I believe the whole 

 matter could be bought now for $10,000. Perhaps 5,000 bushels, all told, have been disposed of 

 annually for the last three or four years at $1 a bushel or gallon." 



MATTAPOISETT. For nearly 125 years this place was a part of Rochester. On May 20. 1857, 

 it was incorporated as a town under the old Indian name of Mattapoisett, which signifies "a place 



